Crossroads Program Seats Advisory Committee

Summit County Juvenile Court Judge Linda Tucci Teodosio announced today that the Crossroads Program Advisory Committee has been convened.

“The program is blessed to have such an impressive roster of professionals agree to help steer the Crossroads Program in the direction we want it to go,” said Judge Teodosio.

Dawn Jones, the program’s administrator, enlisted the help of community leaders in the areas of substance abuse, mental health, law enforcement, child and family advocacy, education and government to comprise the committee.

“The goal of the Crossroads Program is to formally integrate a mental health component into what was formerly a ‘drug court’,” Jones stated. “Studies have indicated that substance abusers likely suffer mental health issues that either create or exacerbate the problem, and with the help of this committee we can be more pro-active and innovative in our approach and the education of the children and their families.”

The members of the committee are: Paul Adamson, attorney, Burdon & Merlitti; Renee Armbruster, Stow Police Diversion Coordinator; Helen Cleminshaw, University of Akron Center for Family Studies; Dr. Stephen L. Cosby, Chief of Psychiatry, Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Akron (CHMCA); Dr. James Fitzgibbon, Director of the Division of Adolescent Medicine, CHMCA; Patricia Goetz, M.D., Psychiatric Consultant, Ohio Department of Mental Health; Jo Ann Harris, Director & CCOE, NEOUCOM; Bob Henke, President, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill; Frank Hickman, attorney, Hickman & Lowder Co.; Anthony Ingram, Akron Municipal Court Probation Officer; Jim Lawrence, President & CEO, Oriana House; Robert Labbe, President, Family Services; Karin Lopper-Orr, Director of Clinical Services, Blick Clinic; Terry Lucarelli; Judge Elinore Marsh-Stormer, Akron Municipal Court; Kristin Maxwell, Magistrate, Patrick McGowan, Akron public Schools Psychologist; Jan Mengel, Juvenile Court Liaison, Akron Health Department; Dr. Mark Munetz, Chief Clinical Director, ADM Board; Steve Oster, Administrator, Board of Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities (MRDD); Katrina Papas, Legal Services Director, Children Services Board (CSB); Ron Rett, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill; Anitra Sacks, MRDD; Patti Schachter, Public Defenders Office; Charles Vehlow, Executive Director, Akron Child Guidance Center; James Ward, Akron Municipal Court Chief Probation Officer (ret.); Dr. Thomas Webb, Juvenile Court Psychologist; Joseph White, Executive Director, CSB; Laura Wissler, Program Coordinator, Mental Health Association of Summit County; Lt. Michael Woody, Akron Police Department (ret.); Randy Zumbar, Executive Director, ADM Board.

Seven sub-committees have been created to address the many elements that will confront the program as it makes its transition.